


Don't second guess your heart (It's never wrong)

by orphan_account



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Coda, First Kiss, M/M, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-25
Updated: 2014-10-25
Packaged: 2018-02-22 13:27:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,588
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2509445
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Will tends to think of things in terms of constants.</p><p>He's not sure if it's a result of being a healer for so long - from learning to track improvement and identify stability - or a trait passed down from one of Apollo's more trivial duties, or even just something inherent to his personality. No matter where it originated from, the fact of the matter is Will finds it easier to wrap his head around things when he knows what's set in stone and what's subject to change.</p><p>Which is why he finds Nico di Angelo so infuriatingly confusing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Don't second guess your heart (It's never wrong)

Will tends to think of things in terms of constants.

He's not sure if it's a result of being a healer for so long - from learning to track improvement and identify stability - or a trait passed down from one of Apollo's more trivial duties, or even just something inherent to his personality. No matter where it originated from, the fact of the matter is Will finds it easier to wrap his head around things when he knows what's set in stone and what's subject to change.

Which is why he finds Nico di Angelo so infuriatingly confusing.

Time is a constant in Will's world, the healer of all wounds, and Nico, simply by virtue of being in Camp Half-Blood right now, subverts it. He's from the  _1930s_ , for crying out loud.

And it doesn't help that Will still isn't sure about what Nico means to him or what he means to Nico (and whenever he thinks about it he tends to get distracted, which is quite a bit of a problem for someone who's supposed to be a healer) or if there's even anything between them. 

But even though he can't categorize Nico, can't distinguish the constants and the variables of his often gloomy personality, he finds himself inexorably drawn to him.

Over the course of the past few days, Will has had to come to terms with his inexplicable attraction to Nico. Okay, he'd known he'd preferred guys over girls for a while now (and he still can't believe everyone at Camp Half-Blood is so understanding) but knowing something in theory and experiencing it in practice are two completely different things.

Will's known this for a while now. Being a field medic is difficult, because sometimes all you can do is trust your gut and hope for the best.

And sure, he's been steadfastly ignoring the pull in his chest, because normal people don't develop weird feelings about guys after a single interaction (get a _grip_ , Will) but when Kayla quietly wakes him up and tells him Nico's outside the cabin, he's completely unprepared for the way seeing Nico hits him like a punch to the gut.

The fact that Nico is currently hugging Jason Grace is not helping. Will isn't jealous, but he may or may not be tempted to whistle as loud as he can just to make them stop.

Okay, so maybe he's a little jealous.

He settles for waving, instead, and does his best to ignore the way his heart backflips in his chest when Nico spots him, brown eyes widening ever so slightly. As if in recognition... or unease.

Will is struck by the sudden realization that maybe (just maybe) Nico's been avoiding him for the past few days. It's not a very nice feeling.

But hey, Will knows that the sooner they deal with this _thing_ they have between them, the less time it'll have to become painful or distressing. Attraction's kinda like a disease, when you think about it that way.

He gestures Nico over. "So where were you?" he asks, when Nico's close enough. He's trying to make it sound friendly, casual, but it comes out more demanding than he intended, almost aggressive.

"What do you mean?" Nico asks, nonplussed, and Will tries not to let his anger fade away at the obvious confusion in his voice.

"I've been stuck in the infirmary for, like, two days." he says instead, because it's either that or just gape at Nico like a fish. Will is above that. "You don't come by. You don't offer to help."

Nico stares at him. "I... what? Why would you want a son of Hades in the same room with people you're trying to heal?" he says, and Will's heart breaks the tiniest bit. "Why would _anyone_ want that?"

Will knows why he wants Nico in the same room with people he's trying to heal. He also knows what he wants right now, which, in order, is to 1) Hug Nico forever, and 2) Hurt all the people who made him feel like being the son of Hades was a blight, a curse.

So he settles for defusing the situation, because that's what he does when people are in pain. Mental, physical and emotional pain are no different. "You can't help out a friend? Maybe cut bandages? Bring me a soda or a snack? Or just a simple _How's it going, Will_?" Will tries for a smile, but it feels weird, lopsided. "You don't think I could stand to see a friendly face?"

Nico looks like he's trying to add 2 and 2 and constantly getting 5. "What... _my_ face?"

Will rolls his eyes, because it's either that or kiss the disbelief off Nico's face and he still isn't sure enough of their burgeoning  _relationship_ \- he nearly blushes just thinking about it - to do something as bold as that. "You're so dense. I hope you got over that nonsense about leaving Camp Half-Blood."

"I-" Nico swallows. "Yeah. I did. I mean, I'm staying."

Will doesn't realize how worried he's been about Nico leaving until the the burden drops from his shoulders. It feels like he can finally breathe, for the first time in two days, and the smile he knows is playing around his mouth feels much more genuine. "Good. So you may be dense, but you're not an idiot."

Nico nearly laughs before biting it down, looking startled at himself. Will resolves to make him laugh at the nearest possible opportunity. "How can you even talk to me like that? Don't you know I can summon zombies and skeletons and-"

"Right now you couldn't summon a wishbone without melting into a puddle of darkness, di Angelo," Will says, instantly serious. Medical issues are no laughing matter. "I told you, no more Underworldy stuff, doctor's orders. You owe me at least three days of rest in the infirmary. Starting _now_."

It takes a supreme effort of will (heh) to keep from fistpumping the air when the faintest flush stains Nico's cheeks. Hey, Will phrased it that way on purpose. It's gratifying to get a reaction. "Three days? I- I suppose that would be okay."

Will has a feeling that it's going to be more than okay. "Good. Now-"

A loud _whoop!_ cuts through the air, and since Will didn't know what he was going to say (probably something along the lines of _"I can't stop thinking about you please like me"_ , which would be embarrassing) he feels guiltily relieved for the interruption.

It's Percy, of course, since he's one of the few people foolhardy enough to risk death via harpy for staying out past curfew. Nico glances at him, sitting near the center of the common with Annabeth, and when he looks back his eyes are apologetic. "I'll be right back," he tells Will. "Promise on the Styx and everything."

When Nico walks over to Percy and Annabeth, Will tries his best to think of a way to ask Nico if the affection is reciprocated without sounding like a total idiot. It's hard.

He's drawn out of his thoughts by Percy's loud, "Wait, so you mean-"

"Right," Nico says again, and Will is ashamed to admit that he's now actively eavesdropping. "But it's cool. We're cool. I mean, I see now... you're cute, but you're not my type."

Will's heart, which had apparently stopped beating at the words _you're cute_ , kicks into overdrive. Could it be that...? No way, Nico _couldn't_ mean-

Percy's mouth moves soundlessly for a moment. "I'm not your type... Wait. So-"

"See you around, Percy," Nico says. "Annabeth."

Annabeth, genius that she is, has been sending Will knowing looks, having already noticed him eavesdropping. She winks at him slyly when she raises her hand to high five Nico.

Butterflies take flight in Will's stomach at the sight of the smile on Nico's face as he walks back across the green, and in a single breathless instant he knows exactly what to say.

"So..." Will starts, looking down at a particularly interesting patch of grass, shadows twisting this way and that in the light of the dancing flames. "Is dating a thing you do?"

When he chances a glance upwards, Nico's smiling at him, and Will feels an answering grin stretch his mouth so wide it feels as if it might break. "In general, or were you thinking in specifics?"

Will chuckles softly. "I had a particular guy in mind, actually. Kind of annoying, has a tendency to get lost in his work..." he trails off when he realizes how close they've drifted towards each other.

Nico wets his lips, and Will's eyes are instantly drawn to his mouth. "Do go on," he says.

It sounds as breathless as Will feels.

"Do you, um, want to go on a date with me?" he asks, the words tumbling out, before instantly biting his lip.

Nico just looks at him for a moment, eyes warm and surprised and shining with an emotion Will isn't ready to put a name on just yet. "Took you a while," Nico breathes, and then they're kissing, soft and slow and sweet.

When Will's lungs remind him that breathing is a thing he needs to do, he slowly pulls back, shivering at the loss of Nico's heat against his skin.

When he sees the emotions reflected in Nico's brown eyes, though...

Well, Will tends to think of things in terms of constants. And right now, he can't help but hope that someday, he and Nico become a constant too.

**Author's Note:**

> I finally finished reading the Blood of Olympus.  
> I had to put the book down a few times because I was squealing so hard at these two.


End file.
